If you visited the Shenzhen area 30 years ago you would have travelled across the border from Hong Kong and arrived in a fishing village surrounded by paddy fields! However, in 1980, Deng Xiaoping initiated the "Shenzhen Special Economic Zone" as an experiment for promoting the development of economic and social development of China. After more than 20 years development, Shenzhen has established itself as one of main economic centers in China and has laid the foundation to support a new phase of further growth. Shenzhen is located in the south of Guangdong Province, China. It faces Hong Kong in the south across the Shenzhen River.

Shekou has become something of a tourist destination for the local Chinese and there is a bustling nightlife here which centres around Sea World and the large ship that has recently been turned into a hotel! There are many Chinese and Western restaurants here as well as big American chains such as Starbucks, Papa John's, Pizza Hut and, of course, McDonalds and KFC!

Shekou is a primarily residential suburb of Shenzhen. Shekou tends to be the place where many expat families live due to the proximity of the International Schools of which there are three; Shekou International School, Quality Schools International and the International School of Sino-Canada.

There is a huge range of accommodation available in and around Shekou. More and more apartments appear on the market on what seems like a daily basis. If you are looking for a house, the most popular residential complex is Jingshan Villas (also the home to SIS) which has a great swimming pool, gym and playgrounds. Many properties are fully furnished so it is not always necessary to pack up your home and bring it with you.